Head of TA

Head of TA Second Front Systems (2F) is seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Talent Acquisition to lead and scale our hiring function during a critical phase of company growth. We are a mission-driven defense-technology company operating at the intersection of cutting-edge software and national security, committed to delivering transformative solutions that empower the nation’s most critical teams. At 2F, we combine the agility of a startup with the rigor required to support government and highly regulated environments. In this role, you will own and evolve our end-to-end talent acquisition function—ensuring we attract, assess, and hire exceptional talent capable of operating in the defense-tech ecosystem. You will serve as a trusted partner to senior leadership, translating business priorities into thoughtful, scalable hiring plans while building durable systems and processes that support long-term growth. This role is ideal for a hands-on talent leader who understands the defense-tech landscape, has experience hiring for cleared and clearance-eligible roles, and can balance strategic leadership with day-to-day operational excellence and action. Note: This role requires U.S. citizenship due to government contract requirements. Candidates must reside in one of our approved hiring hubs: - DC / Maryland / Virginia - Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill, NC - Denver / Colorado Springs, CO - Dallas / Fort Worth, TX WHAT YOU’LL DO - Own and execute the company-wide talent acquisition strategy aligned to business priorities, growth plans, and budget - Serve as a strategic advisor to the executive team and functional leaders on workforce planning, headcount prioritization, and hiring tradeoffs - Lead hiring across technical, go-to-market, and G&A roles, with expertise in cleared and clearance-eligible hiring - Build and scale recruiting processes, including compliance-driven hiring considerations - Own and optimize all TA systems and tooling (ATS, interview workflows, reporting, vendor partnerships) - Ensure consistent, high-quality candidate experience from first touch through offer and close - Partner closely with the Executive team, hiring managers, and hiring teams to ensure outstanding results - Establish clear recruiting metrics and dashboards (time-to-hire, pipeline health, offer acceptance, quality of hire) and use data to drive continuous improvement - Develop hiring manager capability through structured interview training, calibration, and ongoing partnership - Manage external recruiting partners (RPO, retained search, agencies) as needed, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality outcomes - Build hiring strategies specific to our approved job hubs, balancing local market dynamics with remote and hybrid needs SKILLS YOU’LL BRING TO OUR TEAM - Ability to translate business strategy into a clear, executable hiring roadmap - Strong judgment navigating tradeoffs between speed, quality, and compliance - Bias toward action, ownership, and measurable outcomes - Exceptional stakeholder management skills with senior leaders and executives - Ability and desire to get the job done well - Comfort operating in ambiguity while building structure and repeatability PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - 8+ years of progressive talent acquisition experience, including leadership roles - Proven experience hiring for cleared or clearance-eligible roles within defense, aerospace, gov-tech, or adjacent regulated industries - Experience owning and scaling recruiting systems and infrastructure (ATS, tooling, analytics) - Track record of partnering closely with executive leadership and functional heads - Experience managing vendors, agencies, or RPO partners - Startup or high-growth company experience strongly preferred Our Talent Tech Stack: - Ashby - Linkedin Recruiter - Complete All in One Compensation The expected base salary range for this role is $200,000-$225,000. Final compensation will be based on factors such ... (truncated, view full listing at source)